Growing Pains

3.

A/N: Wow! Thanks for the amazing response everyone! I really like how this next chapter turned out. Enjoy!

Meredith sighed as she rested her head against the cold glass of the car window. She was in a cop car. A freaking cop car! She watched her breath fog the window before it disappeared. Her head throbbed, her stomach ached and these cops didn't know how to drive. Any minute she would hork all over the backseat and then she'd have to deal with vomit smell. Not fun.

She just wanted to go home.

The car stopped suddenly and she clutched her stomach and swallowed. The girl cop, what was her name? Olivia? Got out suddenly, "stay here," she said to her partner, slamming the door.

Meredith winced and looked out the window at the apartment building they were parked at. "What's happening?" she asked the other cop. She couldn't recall his name either, but didn't really care. If she was a little less drunk she'd probably be flirting with him shamelessly though, he was pretty hot.

"Ah, my partner's gotta deal with her drunk ma," he said.

"Oh." Meredith swallowed again trying to hold back the nausea. It wasn't going to work. She unfastened her seatbelt and felt around for the door latch. She needed air... but she was in a cop car and she couldn't open the door, "I need air, I'm gonna..." She swallowed again.

The cop turned around and looked at her in panic. "Wait, just hold on!"

A second later, the door opened and she felt the cool night air brush her sweaty face. She turned and pulled herself up, then she retched. "Sorry," she said weakly as she wiped her mouth.

"It's okay."

"What's your name again?"

"Mikey."

"Mikey." Meredith nodded. "Could I just stay out here for a few minutes?"

Mikey glanced protectively around, and shrugged. Meredith leaned against the car and breathed. The younger cop reached in his side of the car and handed her a bottle of water. She rinsed her mouth and spat the water onto the pavement before guzzling more of the water. "So what's with your partner?"

"Whaddya mean?"

"She went like, all big sister on me."

Mikey sighed. "I don't know, this is my third day with her. But she's one of the best in the squad."

As if to highlight his remark, there was the sound of glass breaking from the apartment above, followed by shouting.

"Crap," Mikey said, his hand dropping to the grip of his gun. "Stay here!" and he ran to the door of the apartment building. Olivia left it propped open, just in case.

Meredith watched him go, then she stared up at the shattered window. She bit her lip. Well she wasn't just gonna stand here, she was in New York after all... Besides, she was still quite drunk, and feeling very impulsive. She pushed herself off the car and wandered into the apartment.

It wasn't hard to figure out where the trouble was, all she had to do was listen to the shouting. Hateful, rage induced shouting. She walked carefully down the hall, and the shouting became more enunciated.

"I WISH YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN!"

"Mother!" Olivia's voice echoed throughout the floor.

CRASH!

"Olivia?" Mikey's voice was fearful and unsure.

"Stay outta this Mikey!"Olivia barked.